[Discovery of novel protein biomarkers in early silicosis by proteomics and identification of alpha B-crystallin].

OBJECTIVE: To establish 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) image for the early lung injury rats induced by silica dioxide and to identify differentially expressed protein biomarkers during the early stage of silicosis.
 METHODS: The animal models of silicosis were established and morphology changes were observed by HE staining, and then the key protein biomarkers in silicosis were identified by 2-DE and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and verified by Western blot.
 RESULTS: The well qualified 2-DE gel images for experimental and control lung tissues were successfully established, and 40 different protein spots was observed when comparing the gel images between the experimental and control groups. Twenty of them were analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS. A total of 13 altered proteins were identified, including alpha B-crystallin, mast cell protease 6, annexin 1, etc. The expression of alpha B-crystallin in lung was further verified by Western blot.
 CONCLUSION: The protein expression of alpha B-crystallin was increased significantly, suggesting that it might play an important role in the progress of silicosis.

Primary malignant mixed tumor of bone: a case report.

BACKGROUND: An extremely rare primary mixed tumor occurring in left proximal femurs of a 47-year old female is reported. CASE REPORT: She had left hip pain for three months in April 2004. Radiological examinations revealed that a translucent expansive lesion in the left greater trochanter. She received the curettage of lesion and bone graft surgery. Curettage specimens were diagnosed as malignant mixed tumor, considered to be metastatic. Five months late the lesion recurred. She underwent obturator neurotomy plus total hip replacement of left hip. A long-term of more than ten years follow-up showed there were no evidence of disease recurrence or metastasis and no any signs of other tumor in her body. DISCUSSION: The tumor contained myoepithelial component with positive immunostain of S-100 protein, p63, CK-pan, and vimentin, epithelial component confirmed by CK-pan, CK-LMW and cartilage, which indicated the tumor was a mixed tumor. Cellular atypia, relative high mitosis index, cartilage consistent with grade I chordrosarcoma, focal coagulative necrosis, and infiltration between trabeculae found in the tumor indicated that the tumor had a low grade malignant nature. During long-time follow-up there were no signs of any tumor found in the patient, which strongly suggested that the tumor be a primary one.

[Pathogen identification of 10 suspected cases of sparganosis mansoni].

OBJECTIVE: To diagnose 10 cases of clinically suspected cases of sparganosis mansoni by pathogen identification. METHODS: In the period from August 2009 to August 2011, 10 biopsy specimens were obtained from 10 patients of four hospitals to identify the pathogen. Among the 10 cases, 4 cases showed abdominal subcutaneous mass, 3 showed eyelid swelling, 1 displayed brain lesions, 1 showed pulmonary mass, and 1 showed pleural effusion. There was one parasite each from three patients with eyelid swelling, and one patient with abdominal subcutaneous mass, which were observed by naked eye and microscope morphologically and histologically. Specimens from other six cases were examined by microscope after paraffin embedding, sectioning, and HE staining. For further identification, the parasite biopsy tissue specimens were detected by immunohistochemistry with Sparganum mansoni-immunized rabbit serum as the primary antibody. RESULTS: Three intact worms, from three patients with eyelid swelling, showed typical S. mansoni morphological characteristics. One residue parasite from the abdominal subcutaneous mass showed network structures and full of calcareous corpuscles in the body under microscope same as that of S. mansoni. The histological structure in three of the six sections showed typically the body wall with folds, which was dense, thick and deeply eosine stained, part of the tegument outside was covered by micro-hairs. In the worm body there was net-like loose structure and calcareous corpuscles without cavity. The structure of the other three worm sections was atypical. The six worm sections were positive by immunohistochemical detection. CONCLUSION: The 10 clinically suspected cases are diagnosed as sparganosis mansoni.

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma: a report of six cases and a review of the Chinese literature.

GOALS: The main purpose of this study is to broaden the clinicopathological spectrum and increase recognition of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) through analysis of the clinical and pathological features of 50 cases. METHODS: The clinicopathological features of total 50 cases of FDCS were analyzed including a review of 44 cases reported in Chinese literature before October 2009 and six original cases from the pathology files conducted by the authors. RESULTS: The youngest patient came under observation in this study is only seven years old. Including the cases contributed by the authors, our literary review indicated that male dominated the tumor cases (M: F = 3: 2). 28 cases (56%) present with this disease in extranodal sites. Tumor cells demonstrated positive staining for the follicular dendritic cell markers CD21 (47/49), CD35 (43/45), CD23 (20/23) and CD68 (23/25). In situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA was performed in 10 cases. Nevertheless, EBV expression was absent in all these cases. The follow-up analysis of all cases shows that 26 (81.2%) patients were alive and disease free; 6 (18.8%) patients were alive with recurrent disease or metastasis; and nobody had died of this disease at the time of last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of the FDCS is based on the findings of morphology and immunohistochemistry. The FDCS occurred in China should be viewed and treated as a low-grade sarcoma, and the role of the EBV in the pathogenesis of this tumor is still uncertain. There is a possibility that the tumor might be racial or geographic correlated, because most cases were reported from Eastern Asia area; it's particular the case of the liver or spleen tumor.

Pathological differential diagnosis of solid-pseudopapillary neoplasm and endocrine tumors of the pancreas.

AIM: To investigate differential points of solid-pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas and pancreatic endocrine tumor (PET). METHODS: Ten cases of SPN and fourteen cases of PET were studied in this retrospective study. Clinical and pathologic features, immunostaining reactions and beta-catenin gene mutations were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of SPN patients was 25.6 years and these patients had no specific symptoms. The mean diameter of the tumors was 11.0 cm, 9/10 cases were cystic or a mixture of solid and cystic structures, and there was hemorrhage and necrosis on the cut surface in 8/10 (80%) cases. Characteristic pseudopapillary structure and discohesive appearance of the neoplastic cells were observed in all 10 (100%) cases. The results of immunostaining showed that nuclear expression of beta-catenin and loss of E-cadherin in all the cases, was only seen in SPN. Molecular studies discovered that 9/10 (90%) cases harbored a point mutation of exon 3 in beta-catenin gene. On the other hand, the mean age of PET patients was 43.1 years. Eight of 14 cases presented with symptoms caused by hypoglycemia, and the other 6 cases presented with symptoms similar to those of SPN. The mean size of the tumors was 2.9 cm, most of the tumors were solid, only 3/14 (21%) were a mixture of solid and cystic structures, and macroscopic hemorrhage and necrosis were much less common (3/14, 21%). Histologically, tumor cells were arranged in trabecular, acinar or solid patterns and demonstrated no pseudopapillary structure and discohesive appearance in all 14 (100%) cases. The results of immunostaining and mutation detection were completely different with SPN that membrane and cytoplastic expression of beta-catenin without loss of E-cadherin, as well as no mutation in beta-catenin gene in all the cases. CONCLUSION: Both macroscopic and microscopic features of SPN are quite characteristic. It is not difficult to distinguish it from PET. If necessary, immunostaining of beta-catenin and E-cadherin is quite helpful to make the differential diagnosis.